Foundation (A Golden Beach Novella)

by Loraine, Kim

  “I’ve got to call her. Scoot over.”

  She gently shoved him out of the chair and immediately started a video call to Valerie.

  “It’s just six in the morning over there. Are you sure you don’t want to wait?”

  Shaking her head, she started the call. She couldn’t worry about the time. Valerie needed to know what was going on. As the call rang, Drew rubbed her shoulders and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

  “I’ll make us something to eat.”

  Looking up at him, she grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles. A flash of Sarah streaked through her head before she could stop herself. “I love you.”

  “Quite right.”

  The morning of the ultrasound, Drew’s heart hammered against his chest like a caged bird. He and Grace waited in the dimly lit room for the sonographer to return with more gel for Grace’s belly.

  The door opened, spilling bright light into the darkness.

  “Are you nervous?” Grace whispered.

  He shrugged, trying to keep his cool—needing to be a calming presence to her. She was shaking. His phone rang, a startling and shrill noise in the quiet room. Heat ran up his neck as both Grace and the sonographer jumped.

  “Sorry. I’ll just, erm,” he started, seeing the name of his accountant flash across the screen. “I’ll just switch this off.”

  “Right. Let’s get started.” The sonographer grinned at the two of them and motioned for Drew to move closer to Grace. “You’ll get a better view from up here.”

  Grace flinched as the blue gel hit her skin.

  “Sorry, I did try to warm it. Don’t worry, as soon as we get a picture of your little one you won’t even feel the gel.”

  The blurry gray and black on the screen took Drew by surprise. He’d seen scans before—a few of his mates had children and had pictures a lot like these on their walls and refrigerators—but this was overwhelming. He had no idea what he was looking for. His heart caught in his throat at the sound of Grace’s sharp intake of breath.

  “What is it, love?”

  “Don’t you see it?” Her eyes were focused on the screen to her left.

  “Is there something wrong?” Fear gripped him at the thought of bad news.

  “They look just fine, Mr. Tensley.” The woman was almost chuckling.

  “Good, that’s good.” His tension eased at her words, until he played them back to himself. “They?”

  “There are most definitely two babies.” She pointed at one and he was able to make out the movement of a heartbeat. “We’ll call this one Baby A. Here’s the heart, beating strong. I’ve got to take some measurements, then we’ll focus on Baby B.”

  He couldn’t tear his eyes from the screen after he’d zeroed in on the thrumming heart of his child. The baby they were focused on moved, just a little squirm, and he couldn’t stop his laugh.

  “Can you feel that?” he asked Grace.

  She shook her head. “Not yet.”

  “Twins.” His voice broke on the word.

  “That explains why you’re showing already.” She gestured to Grace’s prominent baby bump. “Most women don’t have a bump until closer to sixteen weeks with their first pregnancy.”

  As they finished getting pictures printed and Grace cleaned the goo off her stomach, Drew sat in shock. His amazing wife was having twins. He realized he’d spent the entirety of the scan focused on himself and the babies. He hadn’t taken a single moment to see how Grace was feeling about the news.

  They walked to their car in silence. Drew was unable to wipe the smile from his face, but Grace looked wary.

  “I suppose you were right about the house,” he offered, linking their fingers.

  “Yeah.”

  As he parked the car in their driveway, a wave of unease settled over him. So much was riding on the expansion going off without a hitch. Now their little family of almost three was going to be four. That meant two kids at University at the same time. And what if they were girls? Oh, Christ, that meant two weddings. What if the expansion failed and they lost everything? What if he didn’t have the money to pay for them to go to University, let alone pay for weddings? Panic clutched at his chest until the sound of Grace’s soft sigh caught his attention.

  One glance and he realized she was tense as well. She remained seated long after he turned the car off, silently twiddling her thumbs and picking at her cuticles instead of telling him what was on her mind.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded and took a heavy breath. “I’m going to get so huge.”

  He laughed and pulled her in for a hug.

  “My mom is going to freak out.”

  That stopped his laughter. “Good freak out or bad?”

  “Good. As long as she doesn’t realize you knocked me up before the wedding.”

  Chapter 5

  Grace shifted uncomfortably in her seat on the plane. She’d done her share of international traveling over the last few years, but pregnant traveling was her least favorite.

  Fighting a wave of nausea as the plane started to descend, she breathed slowly and evenly. The captain announced their arrival in her home state of Virginia and she clutched the armrests of her seat.

  “All right, love?” Drew placed a gentle hand on her knee and squeezed. “Do you need the toilet? Or a ginger ale?”

  Before she could answer, he reached for the flight attendant button. Shaking her head, she stopped him and pushed his hand away. “I’m okay. It’s just anxiety. We’ll be landing soon. I just need to get out of this seat and get some fresh air.”

  His hand gripped the nape of her neck, massaging in gentle circles. Why did he treat her like a helpless child? She pushed away the ungrateful thought as she watched his eyes grow wide when the city below came into view.

  “You’re so cute when you’re excited.” She couldn’t help but giggle.

  “Last time I was here, I flew through the night to get to you. I didn’t take time to appreciate it.”

  She couldn’t stop the twinge of sadness that gripped her. It seemed so long ago. That moment she almost lost him. Here they were, a scant two years later, married, expecting twins, and . . . troubled. She frowned as the thought wormed its way into her head. Everything had changed, and since their honeymoon, so had he.

  He’d been preoccupied, distant, and as much as she didn’t like to think about it, he’d been keeping things from her. If he wasn’t going to tell her about his run in with Sarah, what else was going on that she didn’t know about?

  Drew squeezed her hand as the plane touched down and she sucked in a tense breath. She really hated flying. Forgetting her concerns, she focused on the ominous squeal of rubber burning and the air ripping as the plane slowed to a stop.

  “You’re all right, love. I’ve got you.”

  She locked eyes with him. The panic subsided as his warm brown eyes stared into hers.

  “Ready for this?” she asked, grinning.

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  “I’m sorry about my mom. There’s nothing I can do to stop her.”

  He grinned broadly. “They know they can come visit any time they like. Besides, as soon she takes in the sight of you, she’ll forget about me stealing you away.”

  “I hope so. Just the fact that we didn’t have a big dramatic wedding is enough ammunition for her for a lifetime.” Grace rubbed at her belly. “She’s going to be so mad we kept this from her.”

  That earned her a raised eyebrow. “That wasn’t my idea. If you recall, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.”

  Grace stiffened.

  “I know, love, too soon yet.”

  “The only reason I’m telling them now is there’s really no hiding it. I’ve barely passed the first trimeste
r, but I look like I swallowed a cantaloupe.”

  “You do have two in there. Stands to reason you’d have a bump sooner rather than later.”

  Drew hefted their suitcase off the baggage carousel while Grace watched.

  He was so gorgeous. His shoulders moved beneath the thin cotton shirt and his hair fell over his forehead, into his eyes. The moment he paused to brush the hair from his face, his gaze found hers and he grinned. Her cheeks flamed and she made a show of digging in her purse for something, anything to serve as a distraction. She could tell he’d caught the lust in her expression. If it was obvious to him, it was probably obvious to other people around them.

  After navigating customs and renting a car, Grace slid behind the wheel, ready to get the big reveal to her parents over with.

  “Can’t I drive?”

  “Uh, no.” She bit back a laugh.

  His bottom lip turned down in an equally adorable and sexy pout.

  “Have you ever driven on the right side of the road in your life?”

  “I’ve ridden.”

  “Not the same,” she said, turning the key and backing out of the parking space.

  “Fine. Just promise me I’ll have a chance to do it once we arrive.”

  “Why? So you can mow down the unsuspecting Yanks?”

  “Cheeky.”

  “Always.”

  As she headed down the familiar roads that led back to her past, her breath caught in her throat. She looked at the man sitting next to her. His light stubble, dark hair, and striking eyebrows were all strong reminders of John. She knew him as Drew, her husband, the man she loved. But there was a time, not so long ago, when she’d mistaken him for John’s ghost.

  The next two weeks were going to be interesting, that was for sure. She needed to prepare herself for the whispers, curious glances, and questions from the people in her hometown. The last time Drew had been in Golden Beach, she’d managed to keep him relatively out of sight . . . for the most part. The few times he’d gone out in public had resulted in shocked stares.

  They pulled up to the driveway of the McConnell family home and she took a steadying breath before exiting the safe haven of the car.

  “Okay, prepare for a volume level of at least eleven.”

  Drew nodded and chuckled as he pulled the suitcase out of the trunk.

  “Oh, they’re here!” Her mother’s voice cut through the early evening air like a buzz saw.

  Abby McConnell, always beautifully put together and always the center of attention, burst through the front door—arms spread wide. “Grace! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Grace’s dad followed close behind, a broad smile on his face.

  Nervousness built in her chest as her mom pulled her in for a hug.

  “Gracie, you’ve put on a little weight since the wedding,” her mom commented.

  Grace threw Drew a warning glance that said, leave it. She saw him physically restrain himself as he greeted her mother.

  Her dad pulled her in for a hug and dropped his eyes to the slight bump of her abdomen.

  “Something you want to tell us, Gracie Bell?”

  Her mom spun on her heels and shot an alarmed look at Grace. “What’s happened?”

  Grace tried to find the words, but they wouldn’t come. As if sensing her distress, Drew crossed the driveway and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her and placed the other hand over her small belly.

  “Grace and I are going to be parents.” He stated it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, making her love him even more in that moment.

  “What? Oh, goodness! Did you hear that?” Her mom shrieked so loud the neighbor across the street popped her head out the front door.

  The curious woman called, “You okay over there?”

  “I’m going to be a Grandma!”

  Grace winced at the public announcement.

  “Everyone in the whole town is going to know by tomorrow morning,” Grace muttered in Drew’s ear.

  “They’d know as soon as they saw you, love. What’s the harm? Let her have this.”

  She placed a light kiss on his shoulder and sighed.

  “Okay, lets get you two settled. I’m sure you must be tired from all the traveling. Mark, get their bags.” Her mom laced arms with Drew and beamed up at him. “I need to talk to my son-in-law.”

  Drew cast a faintly panicked glance at Grace before her mother commandeered his attention. She laughed to herself, knowing she wouldn’t get a word in edgewise until tomorrow morning.

  “So, Drew, tell us all about this expansion for your store.”

  Grace rolled her eyes as her dad started in on Drew. He set down his fork and refreshed his morning cup of coffee, topping off Drew’s as well.

  “It’s, uh, been quite an undertaking,” Drew offered.

  Grace grimaced. Her dad was the king of subtle interrogations. He could get the truth out of anyone without them even realizing the gravity of their statements.

  “Dad,” she warned.

  “When’s the projected opening date for the stores?”

  Drew took a sip of his coffee and a small shudder escaped him. Grace had to fight off a laugh. He’d been such a good sport about the fact that there wasn’t any tea in the house.

  “We’re looking at the first of the year, maybe a little past.”

  Her dad nodded and eyed him over the rim of his coffee cup. “Gracie says you’ve been putting in long hours.”

  She felt her cheeks flame in embarrassment. “Dad, I’m sure Drew doesn’t want to talk about work. Besides, I told you, we’ve both been working a lot.”

  Drew ignored her and answered her dad’s question. “I have. It’s a sacrifice, but one I’m willing to make to secure our future.”

  “Good answer.”

  Drew grinned and took another slight sip of coffee.

  The phone rang, giving her an excellent opportunity to escape the conversation and let the two of them bond.

  “McConnell residence,” she answered.

  “Gracie? Is that you?” Marianne Oliver, John’s adoptive mother, had a smooth, silver voice. It floated through the receiver and covered Grace like a warm hug.

  “Hi, Mari.”

  “When your mom told me you were coming for a visit I just had to invite you and Drew over for dinner. Do you think he’d be willing to give us another chance?” The hope in her voice broke Grace’s heart.

  “Let me check with him. We’re here for two weeks. When were you thinking?”

  “Whenever’s good for you two.”

  “I’ll talk to him and get back to you.”

  “Thanks, sweetheart.”

  After they hung up, Grace caught sight of Drew hovering in the hallway.

  “Was that John’s mother?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “Is she well?”

  She nodded again. “She invited us to dinner. We don’t have to go.”

  Drew leaned against the wall and ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose we could. Besides, we’ve got some important news to share.” He rubbed a hand over her belly and kissed her cheek.

  Eyes wide, she looked down at his hand. “I almost forgot.”

  His brow furrowed then lifted in amusement. “You’re teasing me.”

  “Yep. There’s no way I could forget these two are here. They may not be making me nauseous every second of the day, but I’m definitely aware of them in other ways.”

  He leaned in and brushed faint kisses over her neck. “I’m definitely aware of the other ways as well.”

  A shiver ran up her spine as he flicked his tongue over the hollow at her throat and his fingers ran along her ribs.

  “Have y
ou noticed how staggeringly beautiful you are? How full your breasts have become?”

  A tidal wave of lust crashed into her as his hand palmed her breast over the fabric of her shirt.

  “Is there somewhere we can go? Somewhere we might be alone?” His voice sounded hoarse, urgent, pleading.

  “Grace? Where are you? If we don’t leave here in fifteen minutes we’ll be late for our mani/pedis.” Her mother’s voice bounced off the walls of the house as if searching for them like a homing beacon.

  Grace pulled away reluctantly. “Raincheck?”

  “Bloody hell.” Drew looked down at the obvious bulge in his trousers. “I’ll just . . . go take care of this somehow.”

  She chuckled. “Don’t ruin my mom’s wash cloths.”

  Taking a breath to calm her own raging hormones, she pushed her shoulders back and marched away from the promise of her husband. Manicures and pedicures were her mother’s code words for the Abby McConnell Spanish Inquisition. This was not going to be a relaxing outing.

  Chapter 6

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Grace glanced at her husband as they stood at the door to the Oliver family home.

  “Yes. I behaved so badly the last time we were here. I understand so much more now.” Not meeting her gaze, he tugged at his ear. “I’ve grown a lot, and Marianne deserves better than what I gave her.”

  She took his hand and smiled as he rang the doorbell.

  Marianne answered immediately after the first chime sounded. Her bright blue eyes shone with excitement. “Grace, Drew. Thank you so much for coming.” She moved to hug Drew, but paused, seeming unsure of what to do.

  “Thank you, Marianne. It’s wonderful to see you.” Drew rescued her from the awkward moment by letting go of Grace’s hand and enveloping the older woman in a friendly embrace.